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W. A-. HUNTER.

STORM TOP FOR moroa VEHIQLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7. I916.

Patented Dec. 2,1919.

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W. A. HUNTER.

STORM TOP FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7, I916.

Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

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STORM TOP FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7, I916. 1,323,695.

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W. A. HUNTER.

STORM TIOP FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7, I916.

Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

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1' lnuentor: -WIJZZIJfl/m A. Hunter, WW7

. the rear panel.

snares Pannier ora on.

WILLIAM .A. HUNTER, 6F TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO DELLA R. HUNTER,

OF TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA.

- STORM-TOP FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

a citizen of the United States, residing at Telle H'aute, Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Storm- Tops for Motor-Vehicles, of, which the fol lowing is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvement-s in what may be termed storm tops for motor vehicles.

Among the objects of the invention are first to provide a stormtop which may be readily attached to. and disconnected from the motor vehicle and which'when unapplied thereto may be knocked down into a compact 7 form for shipping, thus necessitating a minimum amount of storage space in the freight car and which may be quickly and easily ut into condition for application to the motor vehicle by the purchaser.

Other objects are to provide various improved features of construction having special objects in View, which will more fully hereinafter appear.

The invention includes the novel features of construction and arrangement and combination of'parts hereinafter described, the

invention being defined .by theappended claims.

An embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a view of the inner side of the storm top, some parts being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a planl view, partly in section of one of the rear side panels and a portion of the rear part of the vehicle body and with the means for connecting them.

Fig. 2 is a view ,of the detachable rail of Fig. 3-is a sectional plan view of the middle post with its curtaln guides.

.F g. 4 is a side View of one of the middle posts and a 0st of the top rail in section with one .of the curtain guides in place.

Fig. 5 is a view in section of one of the curtains and a part of the door to which it is connected detachably at its lower end.

Fig. 6 is a view partly in section of the upper corner of the storm top looking from Specification of Letters Patent.

7 Patented Dec. 2, 3319.

Application filed March 7, 1916. Serial No. 82,671.

the inner side thereof with the top rail in section.

Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view of the front post shown in Fig. 6.

F 1g. 8 is a detail outside view showing how the post of Figs. 6 and 7 is attached to the vehicle body at its lower end. i

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view showing how the rear curtain is attached.

,Fig. 10 is a side elevation.

In the drawings I have shown my invention, as embodied in a top adapted more especially for a 1915 Ford automobile but it will be understood that while certain features as illustrated may be more especially adapted to this motor car as at present designed, the invention is not limited to such use but is adaptable to any touring or roadster car body of the standard type with such changes in dimensions or design as circumstances may require.

Referring by referencocharacters to these drawings, the numeral 1 designates the body of the touring car, having the usual front and back doors l and 1 and wind shield 1. Thestorm top is designated as a whole by the numeral 2 and its upper part comprises frame members supporting the top covering 3. Such frame members comprise a top horizontal rail 4, preferably formed as a continuous piece curved at the rear to conform to the curveof the back end of the body and extending forwardly to the upper corners of the wind shield, where its ends connect in a suitable manner with a transverse hood member or front cross bar 5. A plurality of bows 6, having their ends secured to the rail 4, serve to support the covering 3 in its proper'arched form, said covering having its edges.- secured to the rail 4 an front cross bar 5, in any suitable manner.

Touring car bodies generally and espetreme rear of the body, the irons 1 and 1 serving to su port the bow standardsof the ordinary fol ingtop and the socket irons 1 carrying hangers, serving to support the said how standards and. top when the same has been folded.

I have designed my improved storm top i so as to ut1l1ze these 1rons as supporting and ping purposes.

Referring first to the rear members 7, I form these of a substantially C-shape, leaving a wide space in each which is occupied by a pane of glass, as indicated at 7*.

Each quarter member 7 is detachably connected to the top rail by means of bolts passing through suitable plates indicated M7", and its lower front part is provided with an opening 7, to receive the goose neck iron i hereinbefore referred to. i The rear lower part of the quarter member is supported by a bracket iron or member 7 which has its rear end provided with a horizontal slotted portion 7 ,-designed to be clamped to the iron bolt. 1 by nuts 1 and its front portion provided with a slot or opening 7 is secured by a bolt 7 to the quarter member.

Bolt 1 is passed through the socket iron 1 and is held in position by a nut 1, which draws the tapered head of the bolt into the tapered opening of the socket iron, it being understood that this socket iron is that carrying the hanger on which the ordinary folding top rests, when folded back.

The body irons or brackets 1 and 1 vary in their relative positions on different bodies and to allow for their being at different distances apart, I make the opening 7 of elonated form as shown, and also the openings 7 and 7. The openings 7 allow for adi7ustment lengthwise, of the body, the slots 8 for adjustment transversely of the body and the lock nuts on the threaded portion of the bolts 1 allow for vertical adjustment. Thus by the use of these body irons 7 constructed and arranged as shown, I am enabled to secure an-adjustment in three direct-ions, thereby enabling the panels to be accurately fitted to any body.

I have referred to the open space of the C-shape quarter member as being occupied by a glass pane. The use of glass at this point is desirable, as it is at a point where folding is not require and where a wide and uninterrupted space is desirable for a clear vision for the occupants of the rear seat.

Glass however, while more desirable, is liable to be broken and to enable the broken glass to be removed and renewed Without removing the whole side panel pr frame I set the glass in a groove or channel 7, into which it may be slid and held by a removable bar or member 7 this bar being removably bolted to the arms of the C-shaped quarter member 7. This bar carries a curtain guide 7". v

The member or post 8 which connects the intermediate portion of the top rail with this post or member is not necessary as a support for the top rail, the latter being sufficiently supported by the rear quarter members and by front connections adjacent the wind shield, so that by the removal of the post 8 an unobstructed view from the in side may be secured.

My preferred manner of connecting this post is to provide it at its lower end with an elongated slot 8, which; slips over the iron 1. These irons are provided with eyes which receive the bolts or pintles of the front bow standards of the ordinary folding top and through such eyes I pass bolts 8*, passing through openings in the posts 8 and being secured on the inside by wing nuts 8.

.The upper end of the post I prefer to secure to the horizontal top rail by a detachable lock indicated at- 8 which may conveniently take the form of a fastener of the type used for securing the meeting rails of window sashes, having a cam clamping action, which tends to draw the parts tightly together and prevent any rattling. Two pairs of side curtains are used one pair on each side, one pair indicated at 9 and 10, the front curtains 9 affording access to the front seat and the rear curtains 10 to the rear seat.

edge of the curtain is passedand a desirable manner of securing s ch edge in the slot is to provide the edge with a loop or pocket,

- into which a holding wire or rod 11 may be inserted longitudinally after said pocket .has been passed through the slot, the rod being of such diameter as to prevent its bemg pulled through the slot. A bridge piece 11 bridges the slot on the inside and formsthe recess in which the pocketed portion of the curtain edge rests. The curtains are messes guided in their up and down movement by curtain grooves or guides 12. These are shown as in the form of sheet metal strips, doubled upon themselves to provide parallel longitudinal flanges. One of these flanges 12 is comparatively short and is set into a kerf or groove in the edge of the panel,

while the other flange l2 provides between itself and the body of the strip a guiding groove or channel 12, to receive the edge of body or door at the lower edge of the storm top I incline each guide outwardly to the plane of the panel, as indicated in Fig. 4, so that by the time the lower edge of the panel is reached the flanges 12 of the guides will .lie approximately flush with the outer face of the panel. The panels are preferably connected to the horizontal top rail by a flush joint formed by overlapping rabbeted portions, as indicated in Fig. 4.

The curtains. are preferably constructed in detail as shown in Fig. 5, in which the body of the curtain has strips 13 secured thereto by rows of stitches 13*, leaving spaces or grooves in which the edges of the tain edge in the guide. The lower edge ofv celluloid sheets are inserted, being held therein by rows of stitches 13 At the central portion of the curtain be-- tween the two lights, I insert a metal rod 14, which serves to stiffen the curtain at this point and prevent its bagging, the ends of this rod-sliding in the guides, holding ourthe' curtain is provided with a reinforcing and finishing strip 15, preferably formed of sheet metal and having one edge doubled back upon itself and grooved to form a channel with a restricted mouth, as indicated at 15", into which channel the lower edge of the curtain is inserjted and held therein by a rod 16 inserted in in the lower edge of the curtain, which rod is of greater thickness than the passage into the socketed portion '15; This strip 15 has an inwardly and-upwardly turned flange or portion 15, which is adapted to engage with a hook or retaining device 17 secured to the top of the door, said strip .15 also carries an inside handle 18 and an outside handle 19, so that the curtain may be drawn down either from the inside or outside sufficiently to release the curtain and allow the spring to wind it up.

The top is supported at the front by two corner posts indicated at 20, preferably constructed of sheet metal, as shown a loop or pocket formed in Figs. 6

and 7. Each post has a curtain groove 20 formed by the folding of the sheet metal of the post, and at the lower endhas a horizontal flange 2O with its edge shaped to fitsnugly against the body or base of the wind shield to form a tight joint. The metal of the post at the upper end, where it forms the curtain guide is slit vertically to enable a portion of the outer wall to be drawn outwardly to provide a horizontal flange 20, which is secured by a bolt 21 to the horizontal top rail and'the inner wall of the curtain groove is also slitted to enable the upper end of the back wall of the curtain groove to be flared slightly forward, as in dicated at 20 and the inner flange of the groove to be rolled over at its upper edge, as already described in connection with the center post panel. The bottom end of the post is provided with a vertically depending lug 20 apertured for the passage of a bolt for securing the lower end of the post to the body. The front cross bar hereinbefore described,depends over the upper edge of the windshield, as shown, and to make a draft and moisture proof joint and to prevent rattling I secure a flap or strip 22 to the rear edge of the front cross bar 5, against which the upper edge of the wind shield strikes and which flap depends sufficiently below the upper edge of the wind shield to form an effective cushioned closure.

Motor vehicle bodies carry at the rear a finishing or trimming bar of wood, indicated at 23, which serves for the connection of the upholstery. Such strips vary somewhat. in their position and I adapt my back curtain to be readily attached to such bar irrespective of its position and in a manner to effect a tight joint. The back curtain is indicated at 24: and the means referred. to consists in securing to the inner face of the lower edge of the curtain a flexible strip or flap 25, secured to the lower edge of the back curtain by'a double row of stitching indicated at 25 the back curtain material being turned over the lower edge of the strip 25 to form a finished edge. The free edge of the flap 25 is applied to the strip 23 in a manner to place the requisite tension upon the back curtain and is tacked to said strip as indicated at 25 The cross rod or wire 16 at the bottom of the curtain and the tubular or channeled portion of the strip 15 encircling it extends into the guides for the-curtain and sustains the said curtain against bulging under wind pressure and disengaging from the guides. 1

. It will be observed that the portion of the metal strip 15 below the channeled part does not extend into the guides and thus it in efi'ect provides a pivoted flap or inember at'the lower end of the curtain, said flap pivoting about the rod 16 as a center and by this swinging 01' pivotal movement the flap maybe swung to be engaged with or disen- 1. In a storm top for vehicles, a cover carrying frame, rear quarter members connecting said frame with the motor vehicle body and having glassrecelvmg grooves,

: front bars detachably connected to said rear members for removably holding the glass therein and carrying curtain guides, and side posts connected respectively to the cover frame and vehicle body and also having curtain guides, and curtains carried by said cover frame adapted to travel in said guides.

2 In combination with a vehicle body having vertically extending body irons for a folding top, a storm.top comprising a rigid deck, rear quarter members detachably connected to said deck, and bracket irons for detachablyand adjustably connecting said quarter members to said verticallyextending irons, said bracket irons each'having at one end a portion lying in a vertical plane provided with a horizontally elongated slot receiving a bolt for securing- -'receiving also the rod to hold the curtain in said pocket, said rod extending into the curtain guides, and said plate or strip having swinging movement about said rod, means on the body to engage a part of said plate or strip, said plate or strip by its swinging movement engaging or disengaging said means, substantially as described.

4. In combination a body or storm top,

curtain guides, a curtain having a metal plate or strip at its lower end adapted to have swin in movement in relation to the main part of the curtain, which is held by said guides, and catch means on the body to engage or disengage the said swinging plate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of a witness.

.WILLIAM A. HUNTER. Witness:

BENNETT S. Jones. 

